People don't go to Essex uni for the girls. They go because it's near enough to east London for the chavs to go back home at the weekends.

You moron. If you think chavs have the ability to get into University, I think you need to remodel your view on the world. Just because a few people who attend Essex are from London doesn't mean they're chavs. And yes, I do mean a FEW. There are far more international students at Essex than your so called "chav" label. So if I was you I would shut up slating off a University you've clearly never been too.

(Original post by Jacke02)
I don't know anything about essex, but from what i've heard its pretty much one of the elite unis. Not to the same extent as UCL but still really good, along with places like York.

By definition there can only be 4-5 "elite" universities- although they may not be the best for some untraditional courses i.e. media or marketing.

(Original post by im so academic)
I wouldn't say it's a good university. I'd rate it as below average.

Just because it's "Essex" it doesn't mean it's bad. It's bad due to the fact the university does not have a lot of academic rigour in its courses, it is not famed academically and its poor entry requirements reflect the university's intake.

Scrap them both, or you don't get subsidised for it.

I'm shocked the latter is a BSc degree.

Oh? Which ones?

The purpose of university is to give an academic education, not to prepare people for jobs (and that's it).

I've seen your pathetic posting around TSR before. And from what I have seen and read, nobody likes your stuck-up, pompous opinion. Your rep could be an indication to you that people don't give a **** about your ridiculous opinions.

It's people like you that I chose Essex as my firm ahead of UCL and Durham. You think academic ability or your family's wealth allows you to be arrogant and extremely pretentious. Who are you trying to impress with your pathetic posting? Get some manners and actually reply respectfully about universities. After all, they are only there to help people pave their careers, not give them something to boast about or add to their ego. Also, stick to your own university, don't go posting about your, I'm guessing here, bitterness about them, because that's how it comes across.

IMO, you need a good spanking to set you straight. But that's just me.

(Original post by HarmanFan)
Almost all of the league tables and the RAE disagree.

So what factors are you using to come to the conclusion that it's not a top 20 university?

No one in their right minds would take league tables seriously due to 'satisfaction rates'. They hugely distort the rankings and I'm pretty sure you'll notice that Lancaster has high satisfaction rates.

(Original post by alexs2602)
No one in their right minds would take league tables seriously due to 'satisfaction rates'. They hugely distort the rankings and I'm pretty sure you'll notice that Lancaster has high satisfaction rates.

Satisfaction is not the only factor and is weighed differently in the league tables, yet Lancaster is still in the top 10 in all of them. The RAE also places Lancaster in the top 20 and that doesn't even use satisfaction.

I'll ask again - what are you using to come to the conclusion that Lancaster is not a top 20 university, and that whatever you're using must be superior to league tables and the RAE which at least have some objective basis.

(Original post by FoxxyCleopatra)
i'm very sorry to hear about tuition hikes. but if you compare it to fees in other countries, such as the US or canada...9000 GBP is a very small amount.

north american students often pay 30,000 GBP PER ANNUM in tuition fees.

in the united kingdom, international students pay triple what Britons and EU nationals pay.

it reminds me of americans expressing their displeasure at petrol prices based on a skewed point of reference: petrol is double in norway and the united kingdom.

Yep, that's what I have always thought. I am against the rise in tuition fees in the UK. However, I do realise that in America the students pay a lot more than we do here. Even then, in my homecountry, there are only scholarships (studentloans arent available at all) so the ones that go to unis are eiterh extremely clever and get scholarship or came from rich families. (Although I know few people who their mum and dad work day and night to send their kids to uni) ....

(Original post by HarmanFan)
Satisfaction is not the only factor and is weighed differently in the league tables, yet Lancaster is still in the top 10 in all of them. The RAE also places Lancaster in the top 20 and that doesn't even use satisfaction.

I'll ask again - what are you using to come to the conclusion that Lancaster is not a top 20 university, and that whatever you're using must be superior to league tables and the RAE which at least have some objective basis.

Other distorting factors include 'Graduate prospects' and even 'Entry standards' to a point.

Lancaster as the number 3 maths uni and Greenwich number 6? You've got to be kidding me, they're nowhere near that good.

(Original post by HarmanFan)
Graduate prospects? As in? And Lancaster's entry standards are relatively high - apart from the odd course (but most universities have those).

You consider those two factors more important than research, teaching, etc?

The independent league table puts it in the top 15 for mathematics. And again - what are you basing your statement on?

I don't know about Lancaster though, I think it has very good overall reputation.
However, the league table is very very misleading. Especially the one that Alexs has quoted. Greenwich University is no where near being in the top6 for Maths. I looked at the table and found out that the factor that help it in the table is the satisfaction. There is no way Greenwich will be in the top 6. Not now, at least.

(Original post by street.lovin')
I don't know about Lancaster though, I think it has very good overall reputation.
However, the league table is very very misleading. Especially the one that Alexs has quoted. Greenwich University is no where near being in the top6 for Maths. I looked at the table and found out that the factor that help it in the table is the satisfaction. There is no way Greenwich will be in the top 6. Not now, at least.

The Independent one is more reliable, and it isn't in the top 10. Lancaster is 14th. I don't know about the Times.